Frequently Asked Questions

Our Real Santa Experience ?

Welcome to Our Real Santa Experience!

We know how special Christmas memories are, and we want your family's visit to be magical from beginning to end.

To help you prepare, we've answered some of our most frequently asked questions about our Santa sessions, photography, bookings and image collections.

We recommend reading through these before your session so you know exactly what to expect.

Choosing Your Santa Session

Which Santa session is right for my family?

Every family is different, which is why we offer three wonderful ways to experience the magic of Christmas.

Santa Photo Day – $135

Perfect for younger children, particularly those under three, or families looking for beautiful, traditional Christmas portraits.

These shorter sessions focus on capturing gorgeous photographs with Santa without requiring little ones to participate in a longer experience.

All ages are welcome!

Santa Visit – $265

A lovely option for families wanting something more personal than a traditional Santa photo.

Your children will have the opportunity to interact with Santa, share their Christmas wishes and enjoy some special moments together.

These sessions are particularly suited to younger children, although all ages are welcome.

Santa Experience – $355

Our most immersive Santa session!

Designed especially for children over six years old or larger families, this longer session allows for more interaction, storytelling and magical moments with Santa.

It's about capturing the wonder of Christmas through genuine connections and beautiful, natural photography.

Not sure which session to choose? Please contact our friendly team. We're happy to help you find the perfect experience for your family.

How long does each session last?

Each session type has its own allocated time, and we operate on a carefully planned schedule to ensure every family enjoys their experience.

Santa Visits are allocated 10-minute booking slots, while Santa Experiences have longer sessions.

We ask that you arrive on time and are ready for your session when called.

Late arrivals may have their session shortened, as we cannot extend bookings into another family's allocated time.

What is included in my booking?

Your booking includes your selected Santa session and the digital image collection associated with your chosen package.

Our Santa Photo Day includes three digital images.

Other packages and image collections vary depending on the session selected. Additional images, upgrades and photographic products may also be available for purchase.

Please refer to the inclusions listed when booking for full details.

Can additional children join our session?

Absolutely! We love welcoming families of all sizes.

Our standard bookings include up to two children and their parents. Additional children can be included for an extra fee.

This helps us ensure that Santa has enough time to interact with everyone and that we can capture beautiful photographs of your family.

Can cousins, nieces, nephews or friends be photographed together?

Yes! We love capturing extended family memories.

For the best experience, we recommend booking two consecutive sessions if you would like individual family photographs as well as photographs of all the children together.

This gives everyone their own special time with Santa while allowing us to capture those wonderful group memories.

Will Santa spend equal time with each child?

Santa makes every effort to ensure each child feels special and included.

Some children are naturally chatty and full of questions, while others prefer to quietly observe or take a little time to warm up.

We allow the interactions to unfold naturally, giving each child the opportunity to enjoy their own special moments.

Photography & Your Images

What style of photographs will we receive?

Our Real Santa Experience is all about capturing the genuine magic of Christmas.

Rather than focusing entirely on traditional posed photographs, we specialise in natural, candid images that tell the story of your child's visit.

The excitement in their eyes, the whispered Christmas wishes, the laughter and the wonder of meeting Santa are the moments we love to preserve.

These are the memories you'll treasure for years to come.

Will we receive a traditional posed photo with Santa?

We certainly aim to capture a beautiful traditional photograph during your session.

Depending on your chosen experience and your child's willingness to participate, we generally attempt one or two posed images.

However, our main focus during the interactive sessions is capturing genuine moments between your children and Santa.

Please understand that posed photographs cannot be guaranteed, particularly if your child is unsettled or reluctant to participate.

What is a candid photograph?

A candid photograph captures a genuine moment as it happens, rather than asking everyone to look at the camera and smile.

Imagine your child's face lighting up when Santa remembers something special, the excitement of sharing their Christmas list or the wonder of listening to a magical story.

These natural expressions are often the most treasured images from our sessions.

Can I request specific poses or photographs?

Our sessions are carefully designed around natural interactions and storytelling.

While we aim to capture a traditional family photograph, we cannot guarantee specific poses, expressions or requested images.

Directing too many posed photographs can interrupt the magical connection Santa builds with your children.

We encourage you to relax, enjoy the experience and allow our professional photographers to capture the moments as they unfold.

Can we make our children smile for the camera?

We understand how tempting it is to encourage your children to smile, especially when you're excited about their Christmas photographs!

During our interactive Santa sessions, we kindly ask parents to avoid calling out, directing their children or asking them to look at the camera.

Our team and Santa will guide the session and create opportunities for beautiful photographs.

This allows us to capture those genuine expressions of joy and wonder that make our experience so special.

Can we take our own photographs during the session?

We welcome behind-the-scenes photographs of the experience, but we ask that you don't take your own posed photographs of your children with Santa during the session.

Phones and cameras can distract children and interrupt the natural interactions we're working to capture.

You've entrusted our professional photography team with creating these memories, and we want to give you the very best results.

You're more than welcome to photograph your children around our beautiful Christmas decorations before your session, where permitted.

We also love seeing your behind-the-scenes memories shared on social media!

Are magic shots included?

Magic shots are not automatically included in our Santa sessions.

If you would like a magic shot, these may be requested as an additional purchase through your online gallery.

❤️ Children & Their Experience

What if my child is frightened of Santa?

We completely understand! Meeting Santa can be a big moment, particularly for younger children.

Our team has extensive experience working with children, and we'll always do our best to create a calm, welcoming environment.

However, your child's comfort and wellbeing will always come first.

We will never force a frightened child to sit with Santa, interact with him or remain in a situation that is causing genuine distress.

If your child is nervous, we may suggest that a parent joins the photographs and sits between Santa and their child to help them feel secure.

Sometimes this works beautifully, and other times children simply aren't ready.

If your child remains extremely distressed or inconsolable, we may need to finish their session early.

Please understand that smiling photographs cannot be guaranteed. We can only photograph the moments and expressions your child is comfortable sharing with us.

We encourage parents to consider their child's temperament when choosing a session.

What if my child cries during the photographs?

Crying photographs can sometimes become memorable Christmas keepsakes, but we will never deliberately distress a child to create one.

Our photographers will work with your child's natural reactions and do their best to capture meaningful images.

If your child is upset throughout the session, the available photographs may reflect this.

We cannot guarantee happy or smiling images, and we won't force children to participate simply to achieve a particular photograph.

What should my children wear?

We recommend dressing your children in beautiful, comfortable clothing that complements our traditional Christmas setting.

Classic, timeless outfits photograph particularly well.

Some suggestions include:

• Soft, earthy or neutral tones
• Deep greens, burgundy, creams and warm colours
• Dresses, playsuits or classic outfits for girls
• Button-up shirts, chinos or tailored shorts for boys
• Coordinating family outfits without everyone needing to match exactly

We recommend avoiding large logos, slogans, busy patterns and overly bright colours that may distract from your photographs.

Please ensure everyone arrives fully dressed and ready for their session, as we do not provide clothing or wardrobe changes.

Can we bring our pets?

Unfortunately, we do not offer pet photography sessions at Our Real Santa Experience.

While we know pets are treasured family members, our sessions are designed specifically for children and families.

Galleries, Images & Products

When will we receive our photographs?

We aim to have your online proof gallery ready approximately one week after your session.

Every image is professionally prepared before being presented in your private gallery.

Christmas is our busiest time of year, and our team works hard behind the scenes to deliver everyone's photographs as quickly as possible.

We appreciate your patience during this magical but very busy season.

How do we select and download our photographs?

Once your gallery is ready, you'll receive an email with instructions on how to access your private online gallery.

From there, you can view your photographs, select the images included in your package and purchase additional images or upgrades if you wish.

Once your selections and any required payments are complete, your selected digital images will be available to download.

Can I purchase additional photographs?

Of course!

We understand how difficult it can be to choose favourites when there are so many beautiful moments.

Additional digital images, collection upgrades and selected photographic products may be available through your online gallery.

Can I request my photographs by a particular date?

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee delivery by a specific requested date.

Our galleries are prepared in session order, and we aim for an approximate one-week turnaround.

If you're planning to use your photographs for Christmas gifts, cards or other special occasions, we strongly recommend booking an earlier session.

Please allow sufficient time for gallery delivery, image selection and any additional product orders.

Will my printed products arrive before Christmas?

This depends on when your session takes place, when you finalise your image selections and the production times of our professional photographic laboratory.

November bookings generally provide more time for Christmas product orders.

For sessions held in December, we cannot guarantee that printed products will arrive before Christmas.

Our professional lab also experiences extremely high demand during the festive season.

If you're planning to give photographic products as Christmas gifts, we strongly recommend booking early and finalising your selections promptly.

Bookings, Changes & Cancellations

What happens if we cannot attend our session?

We understand that unexpected circumstances can arise.

If you're unable to attend your booked session, please contact us as early as possible.

We will do our best to assist with rescheduling where a genuine reason exists and an alternative appointment is available.

However, our Christmas sessions are extremely popular and often book out well in advance, so alternative dates cannot be guaranteed.

Our bookings are non-refundable, subject to your rights under Australian Consumer Law.

Changes requested close to Christmas may not be possible due to limited availability.

Please ensure you carefully select a date and time your family can attend before completing your booking.

What happens if we're running late?

We operate on a strict schedule to ensure every family receives their allocated session time.

If you arrive late, your session may need to be shortened to avoid delaying other families.

Unfortunately, we cannot extend your booking beyond its allocated time.

We recommend allowing extra time for traffic, parking and getting your children ready.

I booked a session but haven't received a confirmation email. What should I do?

You should receive an automated booking confirmation email after completing your reservation.

If you haven't received it, please check your junk, spam and promotions folders.

We've occasionally experienced email delivery issues with certain providers, including Hotmail and iCloud.

If you still cannot locate your confirmation, please contact us as soon as possible so we can check your booking details.

This is particularly important because the same email address will be used to deliver your photography gallery.

We want to ensure you don't miss any important information about your session.

✨ Making the Most of Your Visit

How can we help our children prepare for meeting Santa?

A little preparation can make a big difference, particularly for younger children.

Talk positively about Santa in the lead-up to your visit, read Christmas stories together and encourage your children to think about what they might like to tell him.

For children who are shy or nervous, reassure them that they can take their time and that a parent can remain close by.

Most importantly, avoid putting pressure on your child to behave or smile a certain way.

The best moments often happen when children are simply allowed to be themselves.

What makes Our Real Santa Experience different?

We're not just about taking a photograph with Santa.

We're about creating magical childhood memories that families will treasure long after Christmas has passed.

From our beautiful, nostalgic Christmas setting to the genuine interactions with Santa, every detail is thoughtfully designed to bring the wonder of Christmas to life.

Our experienced photographers specialise in capturing the real expressions, connections and emotions that make each child's experience unique.

It's more than a Santa photo.

It's a Christmas memory to treasure forever.

Still Have Questions?

We're always happy to help!

If you have any questions that haven't been answered here, please get in touch with our friendly team before booking.

We can't wait to welcome your family and share the magic of Christmas with you.

Our Real Santa Experience

Rocklea, Brisbane

www.ourrealsantaexperience.com.au

Where the magic of Christmas becomes a treasured memory.​